Amazon's 'Style Code Live' TV Show: A New Idea Whose Time Has Passed

Amazon launched its first live TV show Tuesday night, which, appropriately enough, is designed to sell merchandise. “Style Code Live” will air over Amazon
PrimeVideo daily, Monday through Friday, from 9 to 9:30 p.m. EST. The goal is clearly to establish some street (or TV) cred for its new line of private label fashions, especially with Millennials.

On the surface, the idea might seem smart. As Engadget pointed out, it marries the company’s streaming and shopping services into one offering. But a quick dip below the obvious shows a somewhat flawed offering that is unlikely to gain a lot of traction.

I’ve spent a fair amount of time talking with
QVC executives and am also (in full disclosure) on the Board of Advisers of a company that sells through a somewhat smaller and less successful TV shopping network with a similar model. Like a TV late night talk show, there’s a formula here, and it’s not so difficult to explain.

Success in the home shopping world is a result of the interaction between the host, a guest (ideally a celebrity of some sort) and the audience. Of course, the products have to matter, but the key is really that interaction. The audience has a chance to talk to the celebrity (Amazon is reportedly planning to have Meghan Trainor and Keri Russell, among others, as guests) and perhaps more importantly, to also tell the world why they like the product that is offered.

Back in the 90s this was a very powerful model. There were nights I stayed up in fascination listening to (mostly) women living in remote rural areas talking about the products they loved, how many they’d bought, and where they’d worn or used them. Suddenly these women had a voice. In other words, these TV networks were the first generation of social network. And ironically, that’s the problem.

In the age of
Facebook, Pinterest,
Twitter, Vines and other forms of product presentation and customer engagement, a TV shopping network starts to feel a bit old and tired. Talking about products is one thing. Buying is another. And even the original QVC fans are unlikely to bite, what to speak of Millennials.

Why go to a dedicated network when you could watch real content and buy the products they show as part of the show – think product placement on steroids? Project Runway, for one, is about three-quarters of the way to just that model. The hair, makeup and accessory wall are begging for a “buy me” button. That hasn’t come to pass yet, but I still think it’s coming. Apparently though, even Project Runway skews old -- we’re still not going to get a lot of Millennial action there.

It has been pointed out to me that QVC bought Zulily for two reasons: QVC needed to bring a younger audience on board, and Zulily just wasn’t doing a good job with repeat business. It just wasn’t sticky enough. QVC has loyal fans. They’re just getting older and slipping out of the world of discretionary spending. So it was a good gamble on both sides’ parts. We have yet to see how the results turn out.

Generally, I think the live TV shopping show is just not a happening thing anymore. Amazon is going to have to bring in signature or name brands before it works. If Meghan Trainor puts her name on the brand…maybe it’ll have a chance. But if (over-exposed celebrity alert) Kim Kardashian didn’t need a TV shopping network to sell perfume and clothes, why should anyone else?

It’s nice that Amazon is attempting to leverage all its assets to get into the very different business of fashion. Product discovery is a big part of the fashion purchase process. I just think in 2016 there are better suited media for today’s short attention span shopper.